Bread Pudding

This is one of my favorite winter desserts because I love eating it warm right from the oven.  It's a great way to use up bread that may be a couple days old.  If you like chocolate, I strongly recommend adding it, because it becomes all melted and gooey when you eat the bread pudding warm.  I also like adding nuts to give it some crunch.  But these are all optional.

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 tbsp butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4-5 slices white bread (depending on how thick the slices are), cut into 1 inch squares

Optional mix-ins (I usually add these three, not to exceed 1 cup total): 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, small amounts of other things you like

Directions

1.  In an 8x8 glass pan, beat the eggs, butter, and sugar together.

2.  Stir in the milk, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and any mix-ins.

3.  Add the bread and stir gently so that all the pieces are covered.  Refrigerate for half an hour.

4.  Fill a 9x13 glass baking pan half full with water.  Put the 8x8 pan with the bread pudding in the 9x13 pan.  Essentially, you are surrounding the 8x8 pan with water so that it cooks nicely.

5.  Bake at 350 F for 1 hour.7.  Serve warm or cold.  Store in fridge if there is left over bread pudding.